Otty Lake Association

Welcome to the OLA Website

Reconciliation Working Group

For thousands of years, Algonquin people have cared for the land, water and all living things in the area that we now call Otty Lake. There is a strong connection between the continued stewardship of our lake community and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

A first meeting of the OLA Reconciliation Working Group will be held on Tuesday, February 8th from 7:30-9:00 pm ET via Zoom. The purpose of the meeting will be to meet each other and brainstorm/discuss ideas for future learning and action.

If you would like to participate, please contact Victoria Gibb-Carsley via editor@ottylakeassociation.ca and you will be sent a link for the meeting.

State of the Lake Report 2021

Learn about the ongoing efforts to keep Otty Lake healthy in the 2021 State of the Lake Report. Thanks to all the volunteers who collected the data that makes this report possible. Thanks too, to the folks who put the report together. And finally, thanks to all of you who continue to take care of the shoreline and work to reduce the nutrients that end up in our lake.

Lake Links Presentations Available

Recordings from Lake Links 2021, held by Zoom on October 23, have now been posted.

Read Our October Captain Otty's Log

The October newsletter has been posted. Thanks to all the Otty Lake residents who provided updates and to those who shared their photos with us, including Iqbal Umar whose photo is at the left.

Phragmites Removal

On Oct. 13 volunteers removed a stand of invasive phragmites  from a property on Loon’s Way. Team members were: Reid Kilburn, Christine Kilburn, David Murray, Selik Shainfarber, Glenn Tunnock, Dan Woods and organizer Linda Cuthbertson. Thankfully the 13th was one of those unseasonably warm days we have enjoyed this fall.

The OLA Board

Our July AGM and subsequent August board meeting resulted in some changes to the composition of our board. There is still one opening if you would like to join the team! Just contact Kirsten.

Kirsten Brouse - President	Members at Large:
Keith Desjardins - Vice President	Robert Cosh
Jenn O'Donoghue - Treasurer	Kyla Haley
Linda Cuthbertson - Recording Secretary	Cathy Kari
Barb Hicks - Communications Secretary	Rachel Roth
David and Susan Murray - Membership	Anne Scotton
Reid Kilburn - Past President	Kevin Terrion

Blue Green Algae Blooms
Health Unit News Release

Aug. 23, 2021. Potentially harmful algal blooms including blue-green algae are a natural seasonal phenomenon that may appear in our lakes, rivers and ponds. Many of these blooms are relatively harmless; however, some species have the potential to produce toxins which may be harmful to people and animals.

Paddle Power 2021 - Sat. Aug. 21

This years gathering spot was near Buck, Ruby and Clegg Islands. We counted 56 crafts and 65 participants in canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and children’s small crafts. Special thanks to drone operators Doug Jones and Cory Read, tour leaders Kit Muma and Bruce Smith, and property owners Janet and Jim Coward who welcomed videotaping from their cliffs. The group paddle was well documented as paddlers wove their way amongst the Burns Way channel islands.

Contribute Your Observations to iNaturalist

Discover and track the species that make their home in and around Otty Lake. We invite you to help us create an ongoing catalog of the wildlife for the area. This library will help us gain insight into the distribution and seasonality of the organisms in our region. It will help the scientific community through records of wildlife movements, invasive species, species at risk as well as sharing observations among friends. Visit the website or download the app. 

New Online Registration
for Open Air Burn Permits

A permit is required for all open air burning. Residents who registered for a permit prior to June 1, 2021 have until November 30, 2021 to re-apply.

Complete your permit application online at dnetv.burnpermits.com or call 613-267-2596. Permits are free. If you are a tenant, permission from the property owner must be obtained.

Gypsy Moth Resources

Many Otty Lake residents are reporting gypsy moth infestations in clusters around the lake. We have assembled some resources to help you identify, respond and hopefully manage these outbreaks. 

UpTICK on Ticks and Lyme Disease in Eastern Ontario

Listen to the recording of June 8, 2021 webinar with Dr. Andrew Peregrine, Associate Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph presented by Friends of the Napanee River and Friends of the Salmon River.

A Word of Thanks to our Lake Steward, Derek Smith

For the past ten years, Derek Smith has made significant contributions to the water quality program on Otty Lake. Working with our former Lake Steward Murray Hunt, Derek supported the testing program, helped interpret our water quality data, and did site visits around the lake to investigate algae or aquatic vegetation reported by residents. And for the past four years Derek has served as Lake Steward himself, bringing his considerable experience and expertise to managing all elements of our water testing and monitoring program, including answering residents' questions about our lake. We have all benefited significantly from his diligence and commitment to Otty Lake.

This is Derek's last year as Lake Steward on Otty Lake when he'll be handing the job over to Kevin Terrion who will work with a small group of volunteers to continue the water quality work.

Thank you Derek for the years of dedication to Otty Lake, and we hope to be able to continue benefiting from your expertise as a knowledgeable lake resident for years to come.

Etransfer Your OLA Membership Fees

The OLA Board hopes you and your families are staying healthy during these unusual times.  

In order to continue the work and education around the lake, we do rely on your membership dues. Please consider  paying your $25 dues by e-transfer to financial@ottylakeassociation.ca  The security question to input is "province we live in", and the answer is "Ontario". Please include some identifying details in the message, such as your address, or if you are a couple, both of your names. We have had a few submissions we have struggled to identify!

if you prefer, you can mail a cheque made out to the Otty Lake Association for $25 to Otty Lake Association, Box 20122, Perth, ON K7H 3M6.
 

Updated Lake Map Here

A new map of Otty Lake has been made available to residents and cottagers. This is an update of the 18" x 24" map produced in 2010. More islands and bays have been named, shoals indicated, and the 30 m. reduced speed zone marked to encourage safe boating. Maps were made available to paid up members, with additional copies available for $5.00 each.

Crown Island Use

Twenty of the 31 islands in Otty Lake are considered "Crown land". They are owned by the provincial government and managed by Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). The public is free to use them, but camping is not permitted on islands smaller than 200 feet across.

Lake Protection is Everyone's Responsibility

The “Lake Protection Workbook: A Self-Assessment Tool for Shoreline Property Owners” is designed for you to self-assess whether activities and uses on your property are protecting Otty Lake. Your property is important to the overall health of our lake - every action matters. For a printed copy of this workbook, contact christine.k@bell.net.   

RVCA Watershed Conditions

The RVCA issues periodic Watershed Conditions Statements.   You can access these  statements on the RVCA website or sign up to be mailed updates.

Ticks and Lyme Disease:

This presentation by the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit was given to the Lake Networking Group in mid April 2018.

 

Tips for high risk areas from the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation.

 

What what you need to know about tick removal, how to recognize the Lyme Disease rash, and how Lyme disease is diagnosed.    

Black Bears around Otty Lake

Bears Bears are frequently seen in the Otty Lake watershed, and can peacefully coexist with residents.   Educate yourself on their behaviour in case you encounter one.  Bears are attracted to food of any kind, so be careful how you deal with garbage, fruit trees, barbeques and bird feeders. Generally, bears want to avoid humans. Most encounters are not aggressive and attacks are rare.

Emergency: Call 911.

If people, pets or livestock are in immediate danger.

Non Emergency: Call 1-866-514-2327

The Bear Wise reporting line (between April 1 and November 30). A bear passing by, in a tree, breaking into garbage, emptying bird feeders etc.

From Dec 1 to March 31, contact your local MNRF District office. The Kemptville office is (613) 258-8204.

 

 

 

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